Have you heard about Tsvetan Sokolov?

See exclusive article, which you can see also on volleycountry.com! The Bulgarian volleyball star? Of course, you have. Sokolov is now one of the leading players in the Italian Bre Banca Lanutti Cuneo. His name is across all the media- but have you asked yourselves: How did it all begin?

Tsvetan is only 23 years old, but already has been on the top of the world with his former club Itas Diatec Trentino. He is now part of Cuneo, but as Trentino’s head coach Stoytchev declares in a recent interview: Trentino wants his volleyball kid back.

I met Tsvetan in 2009 during a World Qualification and most probably he doesn’t remember me. But that really doesn’t matter. What matters most and what I remember is that Tsvetan has always been down to the earth. Despite the fact that by this time he already was one of brightest Bulgarian volleyball stars, he didn’t show off. And maybe this part of his behavior is his key to the success.

Tsvetan was born and raised in Resilovo, a small village next to a small Bulgarian town, where everybody is interested in volleybal l- Dupnitsa. As a kid Tsetso was not only very tall (190cm aged only 12), but.. also a bit fat. Some sources tell that he was about 120kg. He tried to play as a goal keeper in the soccer football team of Dupnitsa, but was cut off because of his weight.
Tsvetan himself has shared in some interviews that as a child he really liked the moment when he came back from school and began eating a self-made hamburger from a whole bread.

But sometimes life has other plans. Some volleyball people in the team of Dupnitsa noticed the tall guy and went to his village in order make him an interesting offer- trying to play volleyball. At first they couldn’t find the boy and his grandma actually thought that those people were searching for her grandson because he was in trouble. Luckly to her, this wasn’t true. Hristo Raychev, who by this time was CEO at Marek Dupnitsa, didn’t give up. He went for a second time to Resilovo, found the guy and so began the volleyball fairytale of Tsvetan Sokolov.

Tsvetan found his mentor in the former head coach of Marek Dupnitsa - Viktor Karagyozov. The volleyball specialist saw the potential of Sokolov and included the young boy to the men’s team. Tsvetan made his official debut by the time when he was only 14 years and 10 months old in a game against the Romanian “Petrom”. Viktor told Tsvetan: "Come on, go and don’t worry". Later Tsvetan told that he was thinking that everybody in the sports hall was making fun of him, because he made one point and was two times caught on block. But the truth was all different. Sokolov converted himself in the youngest volleyball player to take part in an European Tournament, and after the game the media wanted to talk to the wonder boy. The Romanian national TV made a report for him.

And after that? Tsvetan took part in the Juniors National team. He was a leader in the team and was the biggest star in the World Championship for Juniors in 2007, which was held in Morocco. Sokolov became top scorer of the Championship, despite the fact that he was the youngest one there. Many foreign clubs showed interested in him, but the President of Marek Dupnitsa told he wanted the best for his wonder guy. And the best was obviously Itas Diatec Trentino. Sokolov and Trentino have had problems with the Italians rules about foreign players. Despite this fact, the saga ended in 2008 and Sokolov joined the team of Italy.

And as we say in Bulgaria... "The rest is already a story…". Trentino converted itself in the volleyball Barcelona and Sokolov.
He once told: "I totally learned how to play in Italy"...

Tsvetan likes being with his girlfriend and as already said : he doesn’t show off. His words are: " I’d really like it if people understand that I am a normal person".

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